That Matthew's Sermon on the Mount has a chiastic structure has been argued
by Austin Farrer [1]and
accepted by J. C. Fenton.[2]Farrer's suggested structure
arranged the body of the Sermon chiastically against the first eight beatitudes
(Matt 5.3-10). We shall argue, on the contrary, that the nine beatitudes
(5.3-12) are arranged in groups of three, and that 5.13-7.11 is chiastic against
them.

Furthermore, we intend to demonstrate that the whole of the Sermon, 5.1-7.29,
is chiastic against 22.15-24.35, which includes the woes of chapter 23. Thus
5.1-7.29; 22.15-24.35 appears to have been a unified pre-Matthaean unit. It
probably grew out of something very like the brief beatitudes and woes of Luke
6.20-26 to constitute a type of Two-Ways teaching unit not too dissimilar to
those found in Barn. 18.1-21.9 (the way of "light" versus that of
"darkness") and Did. 1.1-6.2 (the way of "life" versus that
of "death").[3]

The discrete endings of the two halves of this lengthy
chiasm indicate that it has been taken up by the evangelist and deliberately
separated into its two halves within the larger structure of his gospel, with
the woes materials now directly aimed against the "enemies" of the
Matthaean community, namely the scribes and Pharisees.

The following presentation is in three parts. The first is concerned with
explaining the structure and import of the nine beatitudes of Matt 5.3-12 as
constituting three groups of three each. The second relates Matt 5.3-12
chiastically to Matt 5.13-7.11. The third relates Matt 5.1-7.28 chiastically to
Matt 22.15-24.34.

Matt 5.3-12: The Beatitudes

Before we look at the beatitudes themselves some background on the structure
of the whole of Matthew is in order, based on work published elsewhere[4],
but whichis fully presented in Wisdom, Power and Well-being:
Ancient (Biblical) Parameters for Humanity. From no later than the eighth century BCE as found in Isaiah
(e.g. Isa 3.1-3) or even possibly the tenth century as found in the Joseph cycle
(Gen 41.39-45) [5]a
triadic pattern of wisdom, power and wellbeing (or riches) was used among the
Israelites to define, positively or negatively, the humanity of individuals,
groups or nations. When used positively, they defined the humanity of those who
live in total dependence upon God for these parameters. When used negatively
they define the (in-)humanity of those who set themselves over against God.

In Matthew the two key passages for understanding the
evangelist's structuring are 1.1 and 23.23. Matt 1.1, which is recognized as
being a re-writing of Gen 5.1 (LXX), substituting "Jesus" for
"Adam", reads: "The book of the generations of Jesus, Christ, Son
of David, Son of Abraham." Matt 23.23 speaks of "the deep things of
the law: justice, mercy and faith." As the Christ Jesus is the servant who
brings justice to victory, to completion, in and through the deed of the cross
by total dependence upon God (cf. Matt 12.18-21 citing Isa 42.1-4). As Son
of David he is the one who is called upon for, and shows, mercy, [6]the wisdom of God. As Son of Abraham he is the one who
totally depends upon the Father for his wellbeing, living by his every word.
This pattern of wellbeing, wisdom and power, in that order, structures Matthew's
overall narrative as well as lesser units such as the temptation narrative
(4.1-11) and the Lord's Prayer (6.6-13) as it also does the Beatitudes and the
main body of the Sermon on the Mount, as we shall show.

As we examine the beatitudes themselves, we shall see that the middle
beatitude in each set is flanked by a pair which appear to correspond to each
other.

The first set, 5.3-5,
concern the poor in spirit, those who mourn, and the meek.

The poor in spirit appear to correspond to the meek,
and the kingdom of heaven that is allotted to the former is balanced by the
inheriting of the earth allotted to the latter, both of which belong to Jesus
(28.18). Here in 5.3-5 is a further link with Abraham who was held to have
acquired both worlds by faith. [7]The verse concerning the meek (5.5) cites Ps 37.11. Ps 37.10
reads: "For yet a little while and the wicked shall not be: Yea, thou shalt
diligently consider his place, and he shall not be." This increases the
likelihood that the meek are those who will endure, those who will live and have
wellbeing.

If the poor in spirit and the meek can readily be seen to be
those who live by faith and not presumption, then in what way do those who
mourn (5.4) fit this same theme? We would suggest that this is to be
connected with sons of Abraham in terms of the relationship of the following
passages: 3.6-9; 5.4; 9.15 and 11.18. In 5.4 the verb for "mourn" is
πενθεῖν, which otherwise occurs only
in 9.15. In 9.15, answering the question by John's disciples as to why Jesus'
disciples do not fast (9.14), Jesus replies, "Can the sons of the
bridechamber mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days
will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they will
fast." Thus in Jesus' reply fasting is presented as a form of
mourning. The verb πενθεῖν
is associated with mourning for sin, either a sorrow for one's own sin (Test.
Reub. 1.10; 1 Cor 5.2), or more often a sorrow for the sins of others (1 Esdr
8.69; 9.2; 2 Esdr 10.6). [8]In Matt 11.18 Jesus says, "John came neither eating nor
drinking," which is balanced chiastically [9]
against "We wailed and you did not beat your
breast" (11.17), that is, you did not mourn. [10] Again,
as in 9.15, we see the conjunction of John, fasting and mourning, a mourning of
repentance. In Matt 3.1 John comes preaching repentance; in 3.6 those baptized
confess their sins; in 3.8-9 John warns the Pharisees and Sadducees, "Bring
forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance, and think not to say to yourselves,
'We have Abraham to our father,' for I say to you that God is able from these
stones to raise up children to Abraham." Thus those who mourn in the
beatitude of 5.4 would appear to be those who truly repent and are allied with
the wellborn children whom God raises up to Abraham. We may therefore conclude
that the first three beatitudes, 5.3-5, are about those who live by faith, the
wellborn children of Abraham, who claim nothing of themselves. [11]

The second set, 6.6-8 concerns
those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, those who are merciful, and
those who are pure in heart.

The fourth one, 5.6, brings to mind the later passage in the Sermon,
6.31-33, in which, instead of asking, "What shall we eat? or, what shall we
drink?", for these needs are already known to "your Father"
(6.32), the disciples should instead, "Seek first his kingdom and his
righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you" (6.33).

In the sixth one, 5.8, the pure in heart means those who are
single-minded, who desire only to be under God's reign and his righteousness. In
Ps 24.4-6 it is said in the Greek and Syriac versions that the poor in heart
seek the face of the God of Jacob (MT: "that seek thy face, O Jacob"),
while Ps 11.7 and 17.15 speak of the righteous as those who shall see the face
of God. Thus the fourth and sixth beatitudes, 5.6, 8, appear very likely to be
equivalents.

Since the fifth one speaks of the merciful, we have only to show that the
fourth and sixth ones also dominantly concern mercy. That Matthew is concerned
with Torah can readily be seen from such passages as 5.17-18; 7.12; 11.13 and
22.36-40, in all of which Jesus speaks of the Law and the Prophets. The issue
between Jesus and the Pharisees is presented as being one of teaching the proper
interpretation of Torah. This is seen in such passages as 16.12 (Disciples are
to beware of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees) and 15.12 (disciples
report that the Pharisees are scandalized by Jesus' teaching, and Jesus replies
that the Pharisees are blind guides, 15.14). The issue with the Pharisees is
over the central content of the Torah. Three times in Matthew Jesus confronts
the Pharisees over the issue of mercy . Besides 23.23, where justice, mercy and
faith are the deep things of the Torah that the scribes and Pharisees are said
to have left undone but ought to have done, we also have 9.13 and 12.7. In 9.13,
quoting Hos 6.6, Jesus says to the Pharisees, "But go and learn what this
means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.'" In 12.7 he again quotes the
same passage to the Pharisees, "But if you had known what this means: 'I
desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the
guiltless." Twice Matthew, and Matthew alone among NT writers, cites the
Hosea passage, and both times the Pharisees are accused of not knowing what it
means. We would suggest strongly, in view of the correspondence of the Matthaean
note of "mercy" to the Pauline note of "love," that
"mercy" is being presented in Matthew as the greatest of the three
notes of justice, mercy and faith, just as "love" is the greatest of
the three enduring elements of faith, hope and love in 1 Cor 13.13. [12] On this basis we would see the righteousness of Matt 5.6 and
the pureness of heart of 5.8 as centering on mercy, the present grace and demand
of God. [13] If
this be the case, then our second set of beatitudes. 5.6-8, is centered on
the theme of mercy, the attribute ascribed in Matthew to Jesus as the Son of
David. In any case, that these three beatitudes pertain to David can be readily
seen in the "Song of David", 2 Sam 22.25-27a:

Therefore has Yahweh recompensed me according to my

righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.

With the merciful thou dost show thyself merciful,

with the blameless man thou dost show thyself blameless;

with the pure thou dost show thyself pure ....

The third set, 5.9-12,
concern peacemakers, those persecuted for righteousness' sake, and those being
addressed by Jesus when they are reviled and persecuted for his sake.

That the first and third, 5.9, 11-12, are related is indicated by
5.44-45: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you
may be sons of your heavenly Father." Here is peacemaking corresponding to
5.9a, and here is the title "sons of God" which is what the
peacemakers are to be called, 5.9b. Here also is persecution as in 5.11, and
5.46 goes on to mention the matter of reward: "For if you love those that
love you, what reward have you?" This matches the reward of 5.12:
"Great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets who
were before you." Matt 23.29-35 indicates that persecution and crucifixion
at the hands of the scribes and Pharisees is to be the lot of those whom Jesus
will send, as it was the lot of the prophets. Thus we would see the seventh
(5.9) and ninth (5.11-12) beatitudes as related not only to each other, but as
integrally related also to the eighth (5.10). Obviously, the way of the
cross comes to mind, and it is as "that righteous one" (27.19) that
Jesus pours out his blood for the forgiveness of sins (26.28; cf. 27.24 and
23.35) as the Christ (26.63, 68; 27.17, 22).

In summary form then we have:

Title

Torah's Depths

Temptations

Beatitudes

Wellbeing

Son of Abraham

Faith

4.3-4

5.3-6

Wisdom

Son of
David

Mercy

4.5-7

5.6-8

Power

The Christ

Justice

4.8-10

5.9-12

Relating the
Beatitudes to the body of the Sermon

We
shall now relate 5.13-7.11 chiastically to the beatitudes of 5.3-12.

Your
righteousness (6.1); the three Pharisaic works of almsgiving (6.2-4),
prayer (6.6-15) and fasting (6.16-18)

First
Group

5.5

The
meek ... inherit the earth

6.19-34

Lay
not up treasures on earth (6.19) but in heaven (6.20); seek
Father's kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you (6.33)

5.4

Mourners
[for sin] shall be comforted

7.1-5

Judge
not that you be not judged (7.1); the mote and the beam (7.3-5) - [i.e.
repent for your own sins, not for others' sins]

5.3

Poor
in spirit - theirs is the kingdom of heaven

7.6-11

Give
not the holy things to dogs (7.6); ask, seek, knock (7.7-8) - [i.e. as
one in need, not as one claiming
self-sufficiency]; your heavenly Father gives good
things to those who ask (7.11) [14]

The correlation ends at 7.11. It is followed by
the summary statement from Q (cf. Luke 6.31), the so-called Golden Rule, which
Matthew closes with the words, 'This is the Law and the Prophets'. The remainder
of the sermon (7.13-27) consists of appended words of warning about the narrow
gate that leads to life (7.13-14), and the need to hear and do Jesus' words
(7.24-27). similar types of warning materials are to be found in all of the
Matthaean discourses, invariably coming at the end if they are in the form of
parables.

The
Law and the Prophets: As you would have others do to you, do so to
them

.34-40

Basis
of the Law and the Prophets: Love God and neighbour as you love yourself

.13

Gate
to life

.23-33

[Sadducees]
v.32: God of the living; vv.28, 30: resurrection

.15-27

False
prophets and their fall

.18-22

Pharisees'
disciples and Herodians

.28-29

The
crowds astonished at his teaching; he taught as having
authority, not as scribes

.15-17

Teacher,
you teach the way of God in truth; tell us, is it lawful...?

NOTES
1 Austin Farrer, St Matthew and St Mark
(London, 1954) chapter 10. (return to text)2 J. C. Fenton, "Inclusio and
Chiasmus in Matthew," Studia Evangelica
Ι edited by F. L. Cross (TU 73; Berlin:
Akademie-Verlag, 1959) 178. (return to text)3H. D. Betz, noting
the wide gate that leads to life and the narrow gate that leads to destruction
of Matt 7.13-14, recognizes the motif of the Two Ways. He rightly says that
"the S[ermon on the] M[ount] in its entirety is be regarded as 'the way to
eternal life,' whereas 'the way to destruction' consists of the doctrines and
practices explicitly or implicitly rejected by the S[ermon on the] M[ount]"
(Essays on the Sermon on the Mount [Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1985]
3). While arguing that the Sermon on the Mount is "a pre-Matthaean source
composed by a redactor" (ibid. x), he concludes that the Sermon on
the Mount is not of the Two Ways genre because he has not discerned the pre-Matthaean
structural relationship of 5.1-7.29 to 22.15-24.35 which balances the Sermon on
the Mount (the way to life) against the Woes (the way to destruction). Betz
repeats this view in his Hermenia commentary on the Matthaean and Lukan
sermons. (return to text)4 James M. Gibbs, "Wisdom,
Power and Wellbeing: A Set of Biblical Parameters for Man and their Use in the
New Testament to undergird Jesus' and the Christian's Humanity" Studia
Biblica 1978 III edited by E. A. Livingstone (JSNT Suppl. Series, 3,
Sheffield, 1980) 119-155. (return to text)5 If the Joseph cycle has a largely
Egyptian setting, then it is perhaps worth noting that in Memphis, the capital
in the north during the New Kingdom (c. 1539-1075 BCE) in Egypt, three deities
were associated together in terms of funerary rites: Ptah, creator god of
wisdom, imagination and craft; Sakhmet, fierce protectress, and their child,
Nefertem, god of fertility and new life (this information was presented in
"The Quest for Immortality: Treasures of Ancient Egypt" Exhibition at
the National Gallery of Art, Washingon, D.C., 2002). On the basis of the work of
Georges Dumézil on Indo-European languages, it would appear that the origin of
the wise - powerful - wellborn pattern probably lay in the division of society
into rulers/sages (wisdom), warriors (power) and hunter-gatherers (suppliers of
wellbeing). (return to text)6 See James M. Gibbs, "Pattern
and Purpose in Matthew's Use of the Title 'Son of David,'" NTS 10
(1964) 446-464. (return to text)7 See the entries under
"Abraham" in the index of G. F. Moore, Judaism Vol. 2
(Cambridge, Mass., 1946) 399. (return to text)8BAGD,.πενθέω
(return to text)9 See J. C. Fenton, "Inclusio
and Chiasmus in Matthew", 176. (return to text)10 This middle voice of κόπτειν,
which means striking one's breast in mourning, occurs elsewhere in Matthew only
in 24.30 concerning the mourning of all tribes of the earth when the Son of man
appears. (return to text)11 This helps to make sense of
Jesus' submission to John's baptism of repentance as part of his fulfilling all
righteousness (3.15). Perhaps Jesus' fasting forty days and forty nights in the
wilderness (4.1-2) is to be seen in part as his mourning as the righteous
remnant of Israel, the remnant of One, for Israel's forty years of waywardness
in the wilderness. That he represents Israel in its calling as Son of God (Exod
4.22-23) is shown by the flight into Egypt for safety (Matt 2.13-14, a
Jacob/Israel typology, going to Egypt for safety, as opposed to a Moses typology
which would involve a fleeing from Egypt) which is followed by the quoting of
Hosea 11.1 in Matt 2.15: "Out of Egypt did I call my Son." If this is
to be seen as such a fast, then it is only after it (4.2) that he successfully
overcomes the temptations to which Israel fell prey. (return
to text)12 In Wis 7.22b-8.8 Wisdom herself
is said to encompass wisdom (7.22b-23; 8.4a, 7-8), power (7.24-25, 27-28,
30-8.1; 8.4b, 5c-6) and wellbeing (7.26, 29; 8.2-3, 5). On this basis wisdom as
"love" in 1 Corinthians and as "mercy" in Matthew may well
be the basis of and encompass the other two, namely, "faith" and
"hope" in Paul and "faith" and "justice" in
Matthew. (return to text)13 Luke 6.36 has "be merciful
as your Father is merciful," which concentrates the demand even more. But
the Matthaean form, "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect"
(5.48), may be intended to cover all three of the deep things of Torah. (return
to text)14 The loaf and stone of Matt 7.9
suggest the first temptation, 4.3-4. (return to text)15 In John 14.9 Jesus says,
"He who has seen me has seen the Father," and the Greeks' request,
"Sir, we would see Jesus" (John 12.21), is immediately followed by
pointing forward to the passion, so that the true seeing of Jesus is at the
cross. In similar vein in Matthew the seeing of Jesus on the cross
elicits the confession, "Truly God's Son was this one" (Matt 27.54),
and this is where he is seen as God-with-us (1.23). (return
to text)16Note that in
Mark 14.63-64 and Matt 26.65 (but not in Luke 22.71) the high priest
rends his garments in two at "blasphemy"; then God rends the temple
veil in two at the desolating sacrilege/blasphemy of the cross, emphatically
stated in Mark 15.38 and Matt 27.51, but greatly toned down in Luke 23.45. We
would argue that Luke has removed the charge and counter-charge of blasphemy,
including the desolating sacrilege (cp. Luke 21.10 to Mark 13.14 and Matt 24.15)
as part of an attempt to rehabilitate the appeal of the gospel to the
Jews. (return to text)17 That Jesus himself is Wisdom in
Matthew is made clear by the terms of 11.25-30. James M. Gibbs, "The Son of
God as the Torah Incarnate in Matthew", Studia Evangelica IVed.
F. L. Cross (Akademie-Verlag, Berlin, 1968) 38-46. (return
to text)18 This section on the voiding of
oaths made to others (23.16-22) repeatedly refers to the temple. We have seen
that David, the figure of mercy, is connected with the temple. If the chiastic
structure proposed here is accepted, then the corresponding section, 5.33-37,
which we have presented as being concerned with one of the beatitudes about
mercy, is even more likely to be so on the basis of the temple motif here in
23.16-22. The relation of 23.16-22 to the second temptation with its temple
motif (4.5) is quite evident. (return to text)